Cormier on Bader Fight: Would’ve Been Fun

After Saturday night’s Bellator event, we now know Ryan Bader will take on Fedor Emelianenko for the Bellator heavyweight title. But there was a time when current UFC heavyweight champion — Daniel Cormier — and Bader could’ve fought. It never did happen, of course. But we did get this press conference out of it.

“Not once did I say I didn’t want to fight Ryan Bader,” Cormier would say during that press conference back in 2015. “I asked them to fight you because I wanted an easy paycheck … I asked to fight you! They said ‘Daniel, what do you want?’ I said ‘The easiest fight in the division. I want Ryan Bader.’ Just give me my paychecks right now, Bader. Get your ass out of here, this is my press conference. Get the f**k outta here.”

Fun times, right? But why are we talking about this now? Well the answer is simple. Because after advancing to the finals of the Bellator heavyweight tournament, MMA Fighting asked Bader for his thoughts on a potential promotion crossover bout. Naturally, Bader didn’t back down.

“I think I match up well with him, especially now,” he told MMA Fighting. “If I would’ve matched up with him five years ago I don’t think I’d do all that well. I think now I beat him. It’s just one of those things, it’s too bad it’ll never happen. … Taking nothing away from him, he’s a dominant champion. One of the best to ever do it. Of course I want it. But will that ever happen? No.”

While MMA fans would certainly jump at this, Bader is correct in saying it would never happen. Unless they are fighting for the same promotion again one day, it’s out of the question. Dana White would never, ever go for this. It’s not in his best interest. So instead, we can all think about what could’ve been.